Quote:
Originally Posted by LMH
Mark I and Mark II came into usage shortly after production of the Cobra ceased. The story as I heard it was that an employee of AC Cars used the designation while trying to get the correct replacement parts to a customer. He made it up on the fly sort of thing. The terms weren't applied to cars during production period. The Cobra 427 was originally called the "Cobra II" but Shelby didn't like the term.
Larry
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The parts department at Shelby American had their own naming conventions.
The January 15, 1965 Shelby American parts book there were “COBRA I” and “COBRA II” vehicles. It was very important to tell the parts department what your chassis number was so they knew which parts your car would require. (The race wheels Halibrand created for 427 Cobra as marked “COBRA II” I believe.
The December 23, 1966 Shelby American parts book there were “Model 1…1963-65” Cobras and “Model 2 in the Cobra series indicates the Cobra 427…”.
The earliest "MK" anything I have located was in correspondence between the AC Cars parts department and the owner of a COX61xx chassis trying to get information in 1972. Months of confusing correspondence included "MK" naming in the June 26, 1972 letter to the owner. AC was giving answers specific for a leaf spring chassis suspension set up until that letter.
Over time all kinds of MK (Mark) definitions have been created. I have no idea who started the "Mark" naming, could have been just about anybody at any time a change was made. I have read everything I could get since the 1970s. Owners and fans seem to disagree more than agree. When new drawings were done in November 1962 for what became the CSX2126-CSX2164 chassis version the title was "DESCRIPTION:- CHASSIS FRAME" for "MODEL:- 3•6 ACE". Some I have seen include:
MKI = all leaf spring cars no matter which engine or steering system, OR leaf spring cars powered by a 260 engine no matter what the chassis number was, OR a leaf spring car with the cam and follower based steering system no matter what engine was installed. (June 26, 1972 AC Cars letter “…COBRA Mark 1.” chassis had transverse leaf springs with “…an earlier type of front suspension.”.)
MKII = leaf spring chassis with a 289 engine installed no matter what the chassis number was, OR a leaf spring car with rack and pinion steering, or a coil spring chassis with 427 or 428 engine. (June 26, 1972 AC Cars letter, “…COBRA Mark 2. has transverse springing...”)
Note: The prototype Cobra started off with a 221 engine. There were leaf spring cars outfitted with 260 engines and 289 engines. There were chassis outfitted with cam and follower based steering that had 260 and 289 engines. CSX2196, a leaf spring car with rack and pinion steering, first received a 1964 Galaxie R Code 427 8V engine. CS 2030 was the prototype car for rack and pinion steering. Most of the MKI and MKII names definitions get blown up real quick, except the two in the AC Cars letter.
MKIII = usually means coil spring chassis with either a 427 or 428 engine BUT some call it a coil spring chassis with a 289 engine (AC Cars 289 Sports). (The June 26, 1972 letter to an owner of a COX61xx chassis was told, “…it is definitely called a COBRA Mark 3. Coil suspension.”, which is the very first factory reference sentence I have come across using “Mark” anything.)
None of these really help original car owners much if any. Since the day they were sold getting the correct parts for any original car meant having the chassis number ready for the parts and service departments. There were chassis orders and then within those orders specification changes were made. Was your car a street car or factory prepared race car? Two chassis one number apart can be very different. For example, two production specification change sets most may recognize include the change in steering system at CSX2126 and the change in electrical systems at CSX2201. Literally hundreds of parts or subsystems changed between CSX2001 and the last 289 Sports.